Apparatus for closing and sealing containers or receptacles.



E. C. ANGELL.

APPARATUS FOR CLOSING AN-D SEALING CONTAINERS 0R RECEPTACLES.

,APPLICATION HLED AuG.2I. |914.

1 ,1 85,755. Patented June 6, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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V mli-lili g l Q O Qmmmtmm III A H N E. o. AVNGELL.

APPARATUS FOR CLOSING AND SEALING CONTAINERS 0R RECEPTACLES.

APPLICATIONv FILED AUG|2I| 19.14.

1,185,755. Patented Jim@ 6,1916.

5 'SHEETS-SHEET 2- l E. C. ANGELL.

APPARATUS FOR CLOSING AND SEALING CONTAINERS 0R RECEPTACLES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.2I, 1914. 1,185,755.

Patented June 6, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

E. C. ANGELL.

APPARATUS FOR CLOSING AND SEALING CONTAINERS 0R RECEPTACLES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.2I| 1914.

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E. C. ANGELL.

APPARATUS FOR CLOSING AND SEALING CONTAINERS 0R RECEPTACLES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.2|.1914.

l ,l 85,755. v Patented June 6, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

.UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD C. ANG-ELL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 SINGLE SERVICE BOTTLE CORPORATION OF NEW YORK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

APPARATUS FOR CLOSING AND SEALING CONTAINERS 0R RECEPTACLES.

Speciication of Letters Patent.

Application led August 21, 1914. Serial No. 857,833.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, EDWARD C. ANGELI., a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for 'Closing and Sealing Containers or Recep-V tacles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for closing and sealing the top or open end of containers or receptacles made of paper, such as paraffin paper, for carrying liquids and the like, and which are commonly known as single service packages or containers in which a sheet of paper is rolled into tubular form, preferably co-nical, with one end closed to constitute the botto-m, and the otherend or top adapted to vbe collapsed and pinched together and secured in said position to secure the same.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an apparatus to collapse the open end of such a container and apply a clamping strip thereto to close and seal the same, and to provide an apparatus of this type to simultaneously close and seal'a series of containers supported upon a. carrier in juxtaposed pairs.

In carrying out the invention I provide a carrier for a series of containers to support the same in juxtaposed pairs, means being provided to collapse the tops or open ends of the containers after which a clamping strip is fed over the top of each container and simultaneously longitudinally folded or bent to be substantially of inverted-V shape in cross section. After a predetermined portion of the clamping strip has been fed over the containers it is severed by a suitable cutter mechanism, when the container collapsing means is further operated to clamp the clamping strip on to the container and thereby close and seal the same, after which the parts are returned to initial position and the carrier with the closed containers advanced and another portion of the carrier with another' series of containers is lbrought into position to be operated upon.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification, Figure -1 is a side elevation of an apparatus illustrating an embodiment of my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end elevation showing the parts in normal position. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the parts in position after the end of the containers have been collapsed and the clamping strip applied thereto. Fig. 5 is a detail side ele- Patented June 6.1916.

vation of the clamping strip feeding and A bending mechanism and showing the cutter mechanism in relation thereto. Fig. 6 is a detail side view of the clamping strip cutting mechanism. Fig. 7 is an end elevation illustrating a modified construction in which the head above the containers is fixed and the carrier for the containers is mounted to have movement toward and away from the head. l

Similar characters of reference designate like parts throughout the different views of the drawings. v

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated inl Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings all of the mechanism is shown as mounted and supported by a framework or base (designated in a general way by A) and the operative mechanism is actuated from a main driving shaft 10 driven from a suitable source of power as by a belt '11 passing around a pulley 12 fixed to the shaft 10. A series of containers C in juxtaposed pairs are supported upon a carrier (designated in a general way by B) in the form of a conveyer supported upon rollers 13 and adapted to be intermittently advanced bysuitable mechanism, not shown.

Supported above the containers upon vertical standards or columns 14 fixed in the base to have sliding movement is a head 15, said head being in the nature of a carrier for a series of bars 16, one pair for each pair of containers and one bar of each pair at each side of a pair of containers, said bars having movement toward the containers to collapse the open or upper ends and for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The bars are normally maintained in position away from the containers by springs 17. The head or carrier 15 is supported on the columns 14 to have movement toward and away from the tops of the containers and is normally maintained up from the containers by rods 18 pivotally connected at one end to -the head and at the other end carrying a sro4 wheels 23 on the shafts 21. lVhen in its lowermostposition the head rests and is sup- 'ported upon collars 21 fixed toy the columns 11.

After the head has been lowered with relation to the tops of the containers on the carrier and rests upon the collars 2l means carried by said head areactuated to collapse. or partially collapse. thel open or upper ends of the containers. this means consisting of a pair of bars 16 for each pair of containers and one bar of each pair located at opposite sides of a pair of containers. These bars are normally maintained in position away from the containers by springs 1T. one end of the springs connected to one bar of a pair and the other end to the adjacent ,bar of a succeeding pair. To impart movement to the bars to cause them to move toward each other and collapse the containers therebetween the ends of the bars are beveled. as at 2S. plunger-s 29 slidably mounted in the head having beveled heads 30. the beveled portion of the heads being adapted to engage'with the beveled portion of the bars as the plungers are moved inward thereby spreading a bar of adjacent bars .apart and toward their companion bars-` as will be readily understood from the drawings. The plungers 29 are actuated by cams 31 fixed to the shafts 2 1. said cams cooperatingr with cam 4followers adjustably carried at one end of rocker arms 32 pivot- -ally supported, as at 33, the other ends of the arms having a slot connection 31 with the plungers 29.

As stated the collapsed ends or tops of the containers are closed and sealed by a clamping strip. preferably of met-al. and to apply this clamping strip I provide a series of rolls of flexible metallic strips S, one roll for each container on the carrier. said rolls being carried by arms 3l fixed to and projecting laterally from the projecting ends of the standards 1l. The clamping strip 4is intermittently fed above the containers and between the clamping bars 1G after the containers have been collapsed by the bars and longitudinally folded or bent to be substantially of Ainverted-V shape in cross section. For this purpose there is provided for each strip a pair of rolls 3G. 3T, the periphery of the roll 3G being tapered or rounded and theroll 3T formed with an annular recess to conform to the shape of the periphery of the roll 36 and in which the latter engages. The periphery of the roll 3G and the recess in the roll 3T are preferably roughened or fluted to facilitate the feeding of the clamping strip. It will be noted that a clamping strip is fed over each container of a pair from opposite sides. The feed rolls are actuated intermittently by gearing and pawl and ratchet mechanism comprising pinions 3S rotatable in the present instance with the lower rolls, gears 39 rotatably mounted on the head l5 meshing with said pinions, ratchet wheels l0 being connected to and rotating with the gears 39. The ratchets and gearing are rotated by spring influenced pawls l1 pivotally carried by links l2 one end of which are pivotally connected to the axes of the rolls 36 and the other ends pivotally connected to the upper end of vertical rods 13. the lower end of which rods are connected to cranks 11 fixed on the shafts 21. It will be obvious that as the cranks rise they will lift the lower ends of the links 12 the pawls l1 thereby riding over t-he ratchet wheels and as the cranks descend the links will be lowered and the pawls engage with the teeth of the ratchet wheels. advancing the same and through the gearing the rollers. The motion of the rolls 3G. 3T is such that a predetermined portion of the clamping strip will be fed over the containers. the feeding of the strip being limited by the ends thereof abutting against a stop or stops 15 extending between the pairs-of containers. By forming the peripheries of the rolls as above set forth the clamping strip as it is fed is also longitudinally folded or bent to be substantially of inverted-V shape in cross section.

After the strip has been fed the fed portion is severed by cutter mechanism consisting of a blade or cutter 1G fixed to the head 15 in advance of the lower rolls with which coperates an adjustably mounted cutter or blade '-17 arranged to have reciprocating movement toward and away from the fixed cutter, the cutters being shaped to conform to the folded strip. as clearly shown in the drawings. To impart movement to the reciprocable blades said blades are mounted upon carriers 18 slidably mounted on the head 15, rollers l-19 connected to said carriers engaging in inclined runways 50. as

clearly shown in Fig. 6. formed between a pair of blocks fixed to therods or members 51 supported in the head 15 to have reciprocating sliding movement transverse to theA movement of the reciprocable blades. rllhe bars l are actuated by a cam fixed to one of the shafts 21 with which engages a cam follower connected to one end of a rocker arm 53. the other end of said arm having a pin and slotconnection 5-1 with an arm 55 fixed to a shaft 56 mounted in the head 15. Fixed to the shaft 5G is a link 5T having an inclined slot in which engages a head 58 connected to the bars 51. As the lower end of the rocker 53 is pushed forward by the cam rotative movement will be imparted to the shaft 5G by the arm 55 imparting forward movement to the link 5T and thereby pushing the rodsI 51 forward. such a forward movement of the rods 51 causing the cutters T to move toward the fixed cutters -16 and sever the strips.

After the strips have been fed and severed they will lie over the collapsed, or partially collapsed, ends or tops of the containers. To clamp said strips on to the ends of the containers to close and seal the same further movement toward each other is imparted tothe clamping bars 16 through the plungers 29, arms 32 and cams 31, such movement of the bars 16 further bending and clenching the strips onto the containers. To prevent the pulling off of the clamping strips from the containers, the bars 16 are provided with projections 58', and as they are moved forward to clamp the strips on to the containers these projections will force portions of the material of the clamping strips into the material of the containers thus rmly securing them to the containers.

The different mechanism of the apparatus is so timed that after a series of containers have been sealed the bars 16 will be released and returned to initial position by the mechanism when the operation 1s repeated.

In the modification shown'in Fig. 7 and which may be the preferred form, the head 15 is supported in a fixed position and the carrier or conveyer for the containers is adapted to have movement toward and away from the head. In this construction the rails for the conveyer supporting rollers are supported upon transverse members 59 connected to supports 60 mounted in the base to have vertical movement. The lower ends of the supports have rolls 61 to engage with cams 62 fixed to shafts 63 journaled in the base and actuated from the main driving shaft 10.

It is believed that the operation of the; apparatus will be understood from the foregoing and a detail description of the operation of the apparatus is therefore not deemed necessary.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of my invention.

Having thus described4 my invention, I claim: y

1. In an apparatus of the class specified, the combination of a carrier for a container having an open end; means to collapse the open end of said container; means to feed a metal clamping strip over the collapsed end of the container and longitudinally fold said strip to be substantially of inverted-V shape in cross section; a cutter to sever the fed clamping strip; and means to clamp the strip over the collapsed end of the container and provide the clamping strip with inward extending projections to engage in the material of the container, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In an apparatus of the class specified,

the combination of a carrier for a container close the same.

3. In an apparatus of the class specified,

the combination of a carrier for a container having an open end; a pair of bars mounted to engage at opposite sides of the open end of the container and adapted to have reciprocatory sliding movement toward and away from the container; intermittently operated rollers to feed a metallic clamping strip between said bars and over the end of the container; and a cutter to sever the fed clamping strip; said bars operable to collapse the open end of the container and to clamp the strip onto the collapsed end of the container to close and s'eal the same.

4. In an apparatus of the class specified, the combination of a carrier for a container havside of the open end of the container, mounted to have movement toward and away from the container; means to impart movement to said bars to partially collapse the open end of the container; intermittently operated rollers to feed a clamping strip betweenl said bars and over the partially collapsed end of the container and longitudinally fold said strip to be substantially of inverted-V shape in cross section; and cutting mechanism to sever the'fed clamping strip; said bars also operable to clamp the strip onto the collapsed end of the container and having means to force portionsof the clamping strip inwardly into the material of the container. substantially as and for the purpose specied.

5. In an apparatus of the class specied; the combination of a carrier for a container having an open end; a pair of bars mounted to have movement vtoward and away from the open end of the container to partially collapse said vopen end; a pair of superposed rollers to feed a metal clamping strip between the bars and over the partially collapsed end of the container; and cutter mechanism to sever the fed clamping strip, comprising a cutter fixed forwardly of the lower feeding roll and a cutter forwardly of.

i ing an open end; a pair of bars, one at each termittently actuate the rolls; and means carried by the head to collapse the open end of the container and clamp the clamping strip thereto to close the same.

T. In an apparatus of the class specified, the combination of a carrier for a container having an open end; a head above the container; rollers carried by the head to feed a clamping strip over the open end of the cony tainer; ratchet mechanism to rotate the roll ers; a rotatable cam; a cam follower; a slid-p ably supported rod carrying said cam follower; a link connected to the rod and a ratchet mechanism to actuate the latter and thereby intermittentlyv rotate the rolls; cutter mechanism to sever the fed clamping strip; and means carried by the head to collapse the open end of the container and apply the clamping strip thereto to close the same.

S. ln an apparatus of the class specified.;x the combination of a carrier for al container having an open end; a head above the container; means carried by said head operated to intermittently feed a vclamping strip over the open end ot the container; a cutter mechanism to sever the fed clamping strip;lbars carried by the head to have .movement toward and away from the open end of the container; springs to normally maintain the bars in position away trom the container; and means to impartmovement to the bars against the tension of the spring to collapse the open end of the container and clamp the clamping strip thereto to close the same.

9. lin an apparatus of the class specified. the combination of a carrier tor a series of containers in juxtaposed pairs; means to feed a clamping strip over each container from opposite sides; a stop between a pair ot containers to limit the feeding ot the clamping strip; cutter mechanism to sever the ted clamping strip; and means to collapse the tops ot the containers and apply the clamping strip thereto to close and seal the same.

l0. lin an apparatus ot the classspecified, the combination of a carrier tor a series ot containers in juxtaposed pairs; means to feed a clamping strip over eac-h container from opposite sides and sever the ted strip;

i sition away from tops ot the containers and apply the severed clamping strip thereto to close and seal the containers.

11. lin an apparatus of the class spec-iied, the combination of a carrier for a series of containers in juxtaposed pairs; a head above said containers; means to feed a clamping strip over each and sever the fed strip; bars slidably carried by the head on opposite sides of a pair of containers to have movement toward and away from the latter; springs to normally maintain the bars in position away from the containers; and means to impart movement to the bars against the tension of the springs to collapse the tops of the containers, and apply the clamping strip thereto to close and seal the containers.

12. lln an apparatus of the class specified, the combination of a carrier for a container having an open top ;v a head above said continer; means carried by said head to collapse the top ot the container; means to move the carrier toward the head simultaneously with the actuating means to collapse the top of the container; and means to teed` a clamping strip over the top of the container and sever the fed strip; and said means to collapsel the top of the container operable to clamp the clamping strip on to the collapsed top of the container to close and seal the same.

13. lin an apparatus of the class specified, the combination of a carrier for a container having an open top; a head above said container; bars carried by the head one at each side of the top ot the container to have movement toward and away from the container; springs to normally maintain the bars in pothe container; means to move the carrier toward the head and simul taneously impart movement to the bars to partially collapse the top of the container; and means to feed a clamping strip over the collapsed top ot the container and sever the ted strip; and said bars operable to clamp the clamping strip onto the container to close and seal the same.

EDWARD C. NGlElLL.

Witnesses:

Jeux U. Stirner, Pam lPnmnrr.

container from opposite sides llt) 

